The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1887-08-17
ZOE TOOMBS'S DEBUT.
He Bounded Into the Arena Like a
Black-NIaned Numidian Lion

ne lSOunQeN INTO tnc Arena Like
Black-Maned Numidian Lion
(From the Louisville Courier-Journalj
The first evidence Of the coming power
of this remarkable man was exhibited at
Wilmington, small village in Abbeville
district (as the present counties were
then called), South Carolina. General
George McDufiie, the only representa-
tive of Demosthenes in this country
since Patrick Henry, lived near there
McDutfie was harnessed lightning. lie
forged the chain Of logic st white heat.
He WAS the most nervous, impassioned
and thrilling tribune Of the people of
that day. He demonstrated the political
problems as Euclid did geometry, while
ssoaming at the mouth and screaming
Like painted Greek Indian. He had
married the only daughter Of Dick Sin
gleton, the celebrated millionaire turf
man and rice planter, and he owned four
hundred slaves and made eight hundred
bales of cotton year. He had been a
member Of Congress, governor Of South
Carolina, and was afterwards United
States Senator The people, before
making up their minds on any political
question, would say "AIr. McDutiie is
going to speak at Morrows old field two
weeks from now, and I will wait till 1
hear him." and there they would come
forty and fifty miles, and camp out the
night before to hear him, and his speech
would decide the politics Of the entire
country once year. On this Willing
ton occasion it was said that 'Fthe ever
lasting mouthed Bob Toombs was
coming over to meet him. Four thou
sand people were there when that lash
young Georgian crossed The Savannah
to meet the lion in his den, to beard the
Douglas in his halls. Toombs rode a
horse, and it was remarked that his shirt
bosom was stained with tobacco-jpice.
Yet he was one OF the handsoEest men
that ever had the seal OF genius on his
brow. His head was round as the celes-
tial globe. His abundant, straight,
black hair hung in profusion o-e-: his
ample, marble forehead. lie had as
many teeth as 6 Shark, and they We're
winter than ivory. His eyes were black
as death and bigger than an oX's. His
step was as graceful as the wildcats,
and yet he weighed two hundred pounds.
His presence oaptivatea even the idcl&-
tors of George McDuiiie. He bounded
into the arena like a black-maned M,
indian lion from the unknown deserts
of middle Georgia, to reply to the
Olympian Jupiter OF the up-country oE
the proud Palmetto State. 1t was tie
most memorable overthrow that Ne
Dutlie ever sustained. This was IN the
Harrison-Ean Buren election Of 1910.
His argument, his invectiye, his over
bearing torrent of nreverent denunci&-
ton, is tradition in that country ever
now. McDutlie said: u have Heard
John Randolph, Of Roanoke, and net
Tristan Burgess, Of Rhode Island, bu;
this wild Georgian is the Mirabeau oi
this age" Alter that South Caroline;
admitted that Georgia vas something
more than the refuge of South Caroiil.3:
fugitives from justice. This was the be-
ginning of Toombs's immortal Soclthcrli
fame.
Since the recent death of ex-Senato:
Il. NJ. Z. Hunter, OF Virginia, Senate,
Reagan, OF Texas, and eX-Goyelnor I.
H. Watts, Of Alabama, arc the only sur
viving members of Mr.. Da1is's cabinet.
Reagan was postmaster general ana
Watts attorney general. At Montgome
ry, Ala, there was a secret session O.
the cabinet to see whether We should
lombard Fort Sumter. Toomus vas
then secretary of State and was regarded
as the most rash, headstrong and violent
man in the Confederacy. While in the